Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1887-03-25
AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STA
TIONS
Remarks of Hon. William w. Grout of Yer
mont, in the House of Representa-
Friday, February 25, 1887.

II. II, 2933) to establish agricultural eX-
pertinent stations in connection with the
colleges established in the several States
under the provisions of an act approved
July 9. 1862, was as follows:
Mr.. Speaker: The Legislature of the
State which | have the honor to represent
N part on this floor at It's recent biennial
session adopted a joint resolution relative
to the bill now under consideration, re-
Juesting the Vermont senators and rep
resentatives in Congress to lend their aid
and influence tosecure the passage of the
said bill.
This resolution expresses the sentiment
Of a people engaged largely in agriculture
a people who inhabit Il tract of land the
original fertility of which drew to it a
hardy set of pioneers in the latter half of
the last century Immediately upon the
close of the French and Indian war.
Hence much of this land has been under
cultivation something more than hun
bred years and as the result of that waste
ful husbandry-l mean wasteful of the
resources of the soil-incident to all new
countries, it is a fact, sad but true, that
1he green hills of Vermont are not now
as green as once they were.
A hundred years and more OF constant
cropping, with no adequate return of the
elements of plant food to the soil, has
Slapped much of of great share of its orig
inal fertility. Especially is this true of the
lllllSlueS ana Jne nlll UOpS. ne DOlJOulS
and the hollOws, not large portion of the
whole area of the State, are in better con
flition, but still somewhat worn. In short,
she time has come in the history of Yer
mont farming when if there is anything
n agricultural chemistry the Vermont
GARNER needs the benefit of it, The time
mas come when hap-hazard system of
cropping and of fertllzing for the crop
bring results altogether too uncertain for
successful husbandry. And what is thus
srue of Vermont is equally true of all
New England and of the Middle States
also, and, in fact, of the whole Atlantic
Seaboard, from Maine to the Gulf of MeXi-
co. Not only this, but it is rapidly be-
coming true of the newer States through
out the great West.
In all the older portions of the country
he time has come when the problem is
no longer what it was when the soil was
tirst brought under cultivation, and was
still loaded with that rich mold which the
vegetable growth and decay of centuries
had LETT upon it. Then the planting and
the harvesting were the only conditions
of the crop. Now the question of fertili-
cation has become a leading one, and in
wolves not only the inquiry of how most
completely to save the waste from the
farm and transfer it without loss of quail
~ TO the soil, but how to supplement this
homemade fertilizer with such CONNER
cial elements as may be necessary to pro
chance to supply the particular ingre
dients in which the soil may be wanting,
and fit it for profitable production of all
crops.
Now, this is the great question to-day
with the tillerS of the soil in all the older
States of the Union; and in undertaking
20 solve this question they pay millions of
dollars every year for commercial fertiliz-
ers. And right here a question arises
which is vital not only to the farmers but
20 the whole country, for if the farming
industry suffers every other industry suf-
rast outlay profitably made ? The answer
20 this question depends upon whether it
S understandings made; whether it is
made with special reference TO the neces-
sites of the soil. 1t depends. for instance,
lpon whether that soil requires nitrogen,
nitrate of sodium, potash, phosphorc acid.
or super phosphate of lime-my chemistry
fails me TO go through the entire list
and whetherlts particular wants are sup
Piled. Now, all this belongs to the domain
OF agricultural chemistry.
But what does the average farmer know
of agricultural chemistry ? Confessedly,
nothing whatever, and as the result he is
proceeding at random and may be paying
$40, perhaps $50 per ton for fertilizer,
when one costing one half or a quarter
as much would answer the same purpose
IN producing a crop for it is sometimes
The case that the chemical condition of the
soil is such that it needs only some simple,
inexpensive substance to set free the
wealth of plant food which it already con
Gains, hut which is so locked up by some
other substance as to render such soil I'M
productive until a chemical change is pro-
duced by the union of these two sub
stances But to know all this one must
understand chemistry, must possess the
expensive apparatus Ior chemical analy
sis, and must have command of much
time to bestow upon experimenting
But every one knows that these things
are wholly out of the question with the
average farmer. Every one knows that
ne is without knowledge of chemistry
and has neither money nor time for expert
ments
upon his farm and feed and clothe and
educate his children he has all and fire.
quently more than he can do.
Nevertheless, this information is essenj
tial to his success and how Is he to &c
quire it ? How, except from the agricul-
vided by this bill, to which he may send
samples of his soil for analysis and from
which he may learn the relative value of
fertilizers and their adaptability to the
wants of his soil ? The work of the ex-
pertinent station is educational in charac-
public policy entitled to the support of the
State,
Taileyrand, prime minister under the
great Napoleon said
Both education and agriculture ought
20 be assisted by government wit and
manufactures will come of themselves.
Now, while the American people, fol
lowing, in part, the formula of this noted
French statesman, find themselves ia
nous for "a plentiful lack of wit" they
can not be said to have left manufactures
to themselves. Under very liberal pro-
tectlve tariff consistently maintained for
now more than quarter of century,
the manufactures of this country long
since left 1.-The day of small things" The
manufacturers OF goods from iron and
BRASS and copper and cotton and wool, and
of lumber and other staple articles are
among the wealthiest citizens OF the re-
public while the labor employed in these
manufactures is we'll fed aud well clothed
and housed, as rule is contented and
happy,
Nor are the products OF agriculture
wholly without protection, but | assert
not as well protected, practically, as are
The manufactures of the country. This
IS not because the rate of duty is relative